St. Francis— Milwaukee Bucks forward Carlos Delfino showed up for the team's annual media day in a walking boot.

It was not the way he wanted to celebrate his return to the Bucks after a single season with the Houston Rockets.

Delfino fractured a bone in his right foot in Game 5 of the Rockets' first-round playoff series against Oklahoma City in May, when he dunked over Thunder star Kevin Durant. But Delfino said he played with a hairline fracture in the foot for more than a month at the end of the season.

"I had a fracture five months ago and I had surgery," Delfino said. "I had a little setback the last couple days.

"We don't have a time frame. They're taking pictures and we're going to know more in the next couple days. I can't wait to get on the court."

Delfino played three seasons for Milwaukee before signing with the Rockets as a free agent before last season. He is one of three former Bucks brought back this summer by general manager John Hammond, joining center Zaza Pachulia and point guard Luke Ridnour.

Delfino said he was the oldest player with the Rockets and was called the "Godfather."

He joked he would not be the oldest member of the Bucks at age 31.

"Of course we want to try to be the best team we can in a month, for opening night," Delfino said. "Everything is going to come with time and work.

"We need to be sharp, be smart, be focused."

Delfino was part of a Houston team that surprised observers by reaching the playoffs and extending the Thunder to six games in an opening-round playoff matchup.

"Basketball is not about names; it's more about teams," Delfino said. "We had a young team. Nobody expected too much from us. We supported each other in good times and bad times. Hopefully we can do the same here."

The Bucks have veteran Caron Butler at the small forward spot with backup help from second-year player Khris Middleton and rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Seeing is believing: The Bucks' first-round choice in the June draft was the 18-year-old Antetokounmpo.

It could be seen as a leap of faith or a step in the rebuilding process.

Bucks owner Herb Kohl said he didn't mind his front office taking a chance on the young player who grew up in a poor section of Athens and showed potential as an athletic 6-foot-9 forward.

"When the front office took that 18-year-old guy from Greece, I said, 'Who?'" Kohl said. "They picked a fella they thought would be a good 15th pick.

"As it turns out, some teams right behind us were really wanting to take him. They were eager to get him immediately. So we knew we had picked the right guy.

"And when you're picking 15th, you're entitled to take a chance. He's going to be a really good player in this league. It's just a question of when."

Antetokounmpo has been in Milwaukee for about a week and has been working out at the Cousins Center in preparation for the start of training camp Tuesday.

He said he would not be scared but would be excited for his first official day as an NBA player.

"I know it will be very hard," Antetokounmpo said. "But what can you do? This is the NBA."

Bucks general manager John Hammond said his first impressions of the rookie have been quite positive. Antetokounmpo did not play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas but instead played for the Greek team in an Under-21 European tournament.

"I would like to see him get exposed but not overexposed," Hammond said. "But not have him out there too much where he would lose his confidence and those around him would lose confidence.

"At 18 years old, and 19 in December, the things he's doing on the floor are unusual in the least."

Hammond was asked what would define success for Antetokounmpo as a rookie.

"I want people to see it," Hammond said. "I want people to see him make a play. I don't think they're going to see it possibly every night.

"But just show it every once in a while. That's what I'm looking for. I've watched him playing with our guys and he'll make some plays I get so excited about. I want the people that support us to see it and get excited the same way I am."

Gilmartin promoted: Chris Gilmartin has been promoted to director of NBA scouting, and Luke Steele has been hired as the team's advance scout, Hammond said.

Gilmartin, who is entering his 17th season with the franchise, finished last season as a member of interim coach Jim Boylan's staff.

Gilmartin will scout players around the league. His position is a new one within the Bucks organization but one becoming more common among NBA teams.

"He's had multiple responsibilities," Hammond said. "He's been an advance scout and involved with game preparation.

"Chris is a very longtime, valued employee and this is an opportunity to expand his role within the organization."

Gilmartin, a New York City native, is a 1993 graduate of the University of Wisconsin. He served as a student assistant with the Badgers under coaches Steve Yoder and Stu Jackson.

He worked part-time in the Bucks video department while attending law school at Marquette and received his law degree from MU in 1997.

Steele comes to the Bucks from the Atlanta Hawks, where he spent the last 12 seasons, most recently working as senior video coordinator. Steele is a graduate of the University of Florida and played two years of college basketball at Emory University.

Visa problems: Former Marquette point guard Junior Cadougan, a native of Toronto, encountered visa issues that prevented him from being added to the Bucks' training camp roster.

That meant the Bucks roster was trimmed to 18 players, with the only non-roster players being Olek Czyz, Stephen Graham and Trey McKinney Jones.